stringery

C seven Dominant family

Bluesy and restless. It leans towards the next chord.

Easiest shape1 of 6

Square: the root. In colour: the flat 7th, which gives the chord its sound.

Change a finger and see what it becomes

Built from

  • Croot
  • Emajor 3rd
  • G5th
  • B♭flat 7th

The flat 7th rubs against the major 3rd, and that tension wants to resolve.

Tension: Leaning

Hear it in a progression

Where it goes next

Thinking in F major, where it is the V7 chord.

  • Fmaj7

    Imaj7. The strongest pull in music: tension resolving home.

  • Dm7

    vi7. The fake-out: you expect home, you get the relative minor.

Sounds close

  • C♯dim7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have E, G and B♭.

  • Am7

    Shares 3 of its notes. Both have C, E and G.

  • F♯7

    Tritone substitute: swaps in for it in jazz. Both have E and B♭.

  • E♭

    Shares 2 of its notes. Both have G and B♭.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

Keys it lives in